This invention relates generally to a device for collecting and stacking photographic prints, and more particularly it relates to stacking paper prints discharged from a cutting apparatus, the device having a container provided with an inlet opening through which the paper prints are fed by a mechanical feeding device or by the force of gravity.
The cut photographic paper prints as known are susceptible to bending or twisting and consequently the stacking of such deformed prints is impeded. Stacking devices are known from prior art in which the cut photographic prints are consecutively collected by having their flat sides fall one upon the other. In this prior art stacking devices, the prints are generally moved in a horizontal or inclined frame. The disadvantage which the user encounters is, however, the fact that since the prints fall on the stack with their flat sides oriented downwardly, the speed of falling is relatively very slow. As a consequence, when the stacking device is fed from a high-speed cutting device which nowadays is commonly used, a print frequently has not yet discharged from the input range of the stacking device when the next print is arriving and the danger of jamming arises. The same situation occurs also in the case of inclined feeding plane for the prints.
In the event that the feeding of prints is directed from above downwardly as it is nowadays most desirable for the sake of space-saving, the incoming print usually remains standing below the input opening of the stacking container and due to its arched shape usually blocks the way for the next print.